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Cosy Nights, Winter Soups and a New Page Turner #LittleLoves

Welcome to Friday! It’s been a quiet kind of week my end with nothing amazing to report. Sometimes those weeks are a blessing aren’t they? I’ve been practicing my One Word for this year which is ‘Release‘ by purchasing fleecy PJs and allowing myself to cosy up of an evening. Perfect for all this snow that was forecast (*cough* what snow?!).

Ooh, I’ve also been doing really well on our alcohol ban. Just for the record, I don’t drink much but having a cheeky glass of an evening (every evening) was becoming rather a habit at the end of last year. So we decided that come 1st January (I thought for the whole 365 days, the husband thought just January…) we would have no alcohol at home during the week and just one evening at the weekend. Obviously if we are entertaining or going out then it’s allowed, but who goes out in January? Not me so far this year!

Do you know what? I’ve not missed it at all. In fact I would even go so far as to say that I’m sleeping better. Now that I’ve said it out loud, I might have jinxed it but so far so good. Here’s what I’ve been up to this week…

Read

I devoured ‘Present over Perfect’ this week and cannot say enough good things about it. But I harped on about it last week, so will save your sanity and talk about the next book I’ve made a start on – Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult.

I haven’t picked up a Jodi Picoult book in a while to be honest. I kind of overdid it a bit three years ago and read nothing else….until they all started to feel a bit ‘samey’. I’m really hoping that this one surprises me. It is the January read for #BookClub140 which I’m attempting to join in with this year and I’ve heard good things about it.

Cue more late nights reading by torchlight!

Watched

I’ve not stumbled across any new TV series this week. I’m still loving ‘The Crown’ and getting to sneak in the odd episode of ‘Gilmore Girls’ but could really do with some recommendations. Hit me with them!

Although I hate the name of this programme (it seems so patronising and degrading) I do love to watch ‘The Undateables’ on Channel 4. A lovely light-hearted hour’s viewing, that leaves me feeling all fuzzy inside. It was the second of a new series this week, which you can catch on Tuesday evenings at 9pm.

As far as films go, we watched ‘The Fault in Our Stars’ on Saturday evening. In our family, we have an unhealthy tendency to cancel out any emotional scenes with humour, but still…what a weepy! It was very well done and we all enjoyed watching it, from a 12 year old boy to a (half asleep) 46 year old man.

It’s hard to find films that we can all agree on so if you’ve got any recommendations, I would love to hear them.

Heard

More than anything else, I’ve heard the whirring of this little beast over the last 7 days.

About a year or so ago, I considered purchasing a NutriBullet but I’ll be honest, the price tag put me off. So when my daughter announced that she would be going on a health kick in January, I decided to search around for a more affordable alternative and came up with this one by Breville, available from Amazon at a very affordable £24.00.

It’s been amazing! It comes with four bottles which you can make your smoothie directly into, then take out and about. My eldest daughter has been having one every morning this week and apart from the almighty mess that seems to be left in her wake, we would both highly recommend it.

As for music, I’ve been loving Ed Sheeran’s new song – Castle on the Hill. I’m so glad he’s come back with some really good music, he must have felt under so much pressure!

Wore

Apart from my new PJs (I’ll spare you from the photo) I’ve been wearing a lot of casual, cosy clothes this week.

Mainly thanks to the wonderfully inspiring Kat (who quite frankly looks amazing in anything she wears) over at ‘Does My Bum Look 40 in This?’ last year I discovered Hush. I haven’t purchased many Hush pieces but I seemed to live in both of these tops this week.

They wash so well (sounding like my mum now) and never fall prey to the usual wear and tear that other cheaper items do. Yes they are a little costly but I honestly think they are worth the extra investment. There’s still quite a lot available in their January sale at the moment if you fancy finding a bargain.

Made

On a similar theme to the smoothies, we’ve been making soups this week. Inspired by my daughter, I tried a carrot and coriander one which was absolutely delicious!

If you’re interested in making it, this is the recipe in a nutshell (aka I made it up):

Add some water to half a dozen carrots, two sticks of celery, a good handful of coriander, a chopped red onion and a little bit of tomato puree. Boil on the hob until the carrots are soft. Add salt and pepper to taste, then whizz it all up. Easy peasy!

And Lastly…

I’m looking forward to visiting the Bombay Sapphire gin distillery on Sunday afternoon with some girl pals. We are celebrating a 50th birthday so I’ve been tasked with making a red velvet birthday cake. The only time I’ve ever tried this before, it went spectacularly wrong so fingers crossed!

16 Comments

I need to read that Jodi Picoult! Like you, I’ve read a lot of her stuff and it was all getting a bit predictable, but I’ve heard that this is far superior to anything else she’s ever written. I love The Undateables too. The people are always so lovely! It’s impossible to find a film all of our family like too. Currently there are a lot of arguments in our house because my husband has the football on ALL THE TIME and my daughter only wants to watch Dance Moms, which he hates.
Did I mention that we only have one working TV?! 🙁

Dance Moms is a favourite here too. I hate it! I guess this is a consequence of having 3 children…certainly makes for an interesting discussion lol! We only have one that works properly tbh. The one in our TV room generally gets used for the Playstation. Not ideal! x

Good plan on the alcohol! I had kind of the same idea but wanted to see if I could avoid it entirely for the whole of January…that failed last weekend when I got some bad news, but oh well. Still going strong apart from that. I’m with you on not missing it. Recommendations…um, Crazy Ex Girlfriend is brilliant, that’s on Netflix. Did you watch Westworld? That was awesome but not sure if it’s available anywhere anymore. Hope you enjoy the gin tour – I’ve heard great things about it! x #LittleLoves

I don’t like putting pressure on myself by announcing that I’m doing Dry January – it didn’t work for me a few years ago, I was miserable! This way, it’s just like allowing a little treat at the weekend but I don’t think about it during the week. I shall look for Crazy Ex Girlfriend, thanks for the recommendation!

I have just started this book too lovely. It’s a page turner for sure. I need more time to finish it this week. hahah Hasn’t happened yet. I need to go on a health kick in January. My bag of doritos during a movie last night just told me I haven’t let go of the xmas snacking. OOps costing me another visit to the gym. Winter soups are truly the best I have a few recipes I need to sit down and get up on the blog before it’s time for summer soups again. hahaha Hope you have a lovely weekend ahead. #littleloves

I need to get properly cracking with this book! My daughter might be on a health kick but I’m not taking it all that seriously. Now she’s starting to go to the gym though, I think I will do more regular. Thanks for commenting. xx

Ooh, glad you’ve started the Jodi Picoult. I started it this week too, just need to dedicate some time to it. Loving the cosy PJ’s – I’d live in mine if I could. I read The Fault in our Stars a few years ago, need to watch the movie – although I know it will make me weep! Well done on the no alcohol! Enjoy celebrating your friends 50th this weekend xx

Sounds like you’ve had a really calming week, with new pjs and lots of cozy nights! I know what you mean about Jodi Piccoult, I think I over read some of her books and felt they were a bit samey!
I’m on a mini health kick here! Got a holiday in a couple of months ☺ lots of lovely little loves x

The teen made me watch The Fault in Our Stars a while back and oh my did I ball! I got my own back by making her watch Me Before You, which inturn made her cry too. I’ve got one of those Breville things, need to dig it out again though as my healthy eating efforts went right out the window before Christmas. They are good though and like you say great value too. Have a great time on Sunday x

We are attempting the same with alcohol, we too had go into a nightly habit which we are trying to stop. So far so good although a did have a few white wines on a night out last night with the girls….
I really need to watch Gilmore Girls I have never seen it but have heard so many that watch it say how good it is. I am so envious of your Gin distillery tour that sounds perfect the for a Birthday celebration. I hope your velvet cake goes to plan. Have a great time.

Well done on the healthy start to the year Suzanne. I must admit our healthy eating starts after the 18th of the month when the birthdays are out of the way. Well you can’t say no to birthday cake just because it’s January can you. Oh the gin distillery sounds fantastic, I would love to do something like that this year. Have a lovely weekend x

Love those tops Suzanne, and I’m also loving The Crown, we started watching it this weekend and i’m hooked! Well done on cutting back on booze too, it can be so difficult to do once it becomes a habit. Obviously I stopped because I’m pregnant but was probably drinking far too much pre-then, there always seems to be an occasion to have a drink doesn’t there? Now I sleep so well, and have so much more motivation and I love not feeling hungover/groggy in the mornings. Thinking I’m going to try not going back to it for a good while after the baby arrives! #LittleLoves

I love your Hush tops, I always have a nosey on their website but haven’t actually bought anything from there. May have to take a look as my husband still owes me some new clothes as a belated birthday present. How was the gin distillery, I am a bit jealous of you going, I love Bombay Sapphire! xx

I saw your photos of the gin distillery and it looked such fun! I am trying to get back into reading and bought three books from Amazon that arrived today – that Jodi Picoult book is next on my list! I have had that Breville blender for about 2 years now and use it near enough every day – it’s ace! I’m planning on making soups when our kitchen is finished – I cannot wait! x

I’m totally with you on Jodi Picoult (reading too many and then finding them samey) so I’ve been put off reading her books BUT so many people have good things to say about this one so I really must order it.
Loving your tops, I’ll have to take a look at Hush xx

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Hey there, thanks for dropping by. I'm Suzanne and Inside, Outside & Beyond is my quest to find out if there is 'life after the school run'. With all three children now at secondary school, it's time to find me...the coffee-loving, shoe-obsessed (you can never have too many, right?) 40-something me, who loves a new challenge and is a little bit addicted to over-sharing. Join me?

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